Pointing out that having a handgun carry permit is an awesome responsibility, local policeman and firearms instructor Stuart Whitman says he has already guided 600 people through his local class – most of those planning to apply for their handgun carry permits.“The most frequent reason I get from folks who want to get their handgun carry permit is they want to protect themselves and their family,” Whitman said, noting he has instructed people not only from here but from as far away as Memphis. “There are over 200 certified schools in Tennessee.”Whitman said the first step to obtaining a permit is to take a required training class. “It is a very basic class, really geared to people who haven’t had a lot of experience with firearms,” Whitman said, noting his class covers things like safety, skills, marksmanship and laws governing the carrying of firearms.